Modular Building Sets - Rumours and Discussion

[The_Nev]

6 minutes ago, MAB said:

Or FB is set in the 2010s and there is a re-enactment going on using an old fire truck.

That's right! Some could even be set in the future for all we know!

[BrickFit26]

On 11/10/2018 at 10:16 PM, The_Nev said:

This one?

Brick, Modified 2 x 3 x 3 with Cutout and Lion Head

That's the piece. They should use it again. Perhaps on a high end modular condo apartment complex.

[LegoModularFan]

Last year on the 18th of November, the Diner was leaked, so after four days it’s going to be exactly one year... I hope it’s going to be the same for the new modular... 

Edited November 14, 2018 by LegoModularFan

[The_Nev]

20 minutes ago, LegoModularFan said:

Last year on the 18th of November, the Diner was leaked, so after four days it’s going to be exactly one year... I hope it’s going to be the same for the new modular... 

Or earlier! 

In the meantime, there's 5 modulars available at the moment, which I believe is the equal most that there is ever at one time. So its more than likely that at least one will retire this year, although it has happened before where two sets were retired at once (GE and TH). Which set(s) do we think are most likely to retire? Will it be the eldest, yet crowd favourite, PR? Or  one of the newer sets, DO at the end of its 4th year or BB at the young age of 3 years? Or even the mega-modular anniversary set AS?

My bet is on DO, it being shown on the "some retiring soon!" page is no coincidence in my eye. If there's two going, it will be DO and PR, 5 years is a long life for a modular... 

[Bricked1980]

12 minutes ago, The_Nev said:

My bet is on DO, it being shown on the "some retiring soon!" page is no coincidence in my eye. If there's two going, it will be DO and PR, 5 years is a long life for a modular... 

Almost certainly going to be DO. It is showing up in the Christmas store catalogue on the page with sets retiring soon. As well as this it's been confirmed the set will be reduced by 20% on Black Friday which further suggests to me that this will be the next one to be retired.

[cimddwc]

Brick Bank has been reported (from Munich) to be marked as "last chance" in stores. Along with Tower Bridge, the fishing store and GBHQ.

[Bricked1980]

5 minutes ago, cimddwc said:

Brick Bank has been reported (from Munich) to be marked as "last chance" in stores. Along with Tower Bridge, the fishing store and GBHQ.

I wonder if they will retire both BB and DO. Problem is this would only leave 3 modulars currently for sale (assuming we will get a new one in January).

Perhaps they are trying to clear out 2 of the old modulars to make way for 2 brand new ones coming in 2019? Maybe as well as the new January set, later next year we will get the long rumored re-release of CC or GG as well. 

[scottwb2010]

1 hour ago, Bricked1980 said:

I wonder if they will retire both BB and DO. Problem is this would only leave 3 modulars currently for sale (assuming we will get a new one in January).

Perhaps they are trying to clear out 2 of the old modulars to make way for 2 brand new ones coming in 2019? Maybe as well as the new January set, later next year we will get the long rumored re-release of CC or GG as well. 

How good would that be if it happened. I know re-release of CC or GG not to everyone's taste, but if it was in addition to the years new release I have no issue. They certainly seem to be about to make room for some 'New' releases if some of those big sets are about to be retired.

[The_Nev]

1 hour ago, cimddwc said:

Brick Bank has been reported (from Munich) to be marked as "last chance" in stores. Along with Tower Bridge, the fishing store and GBHQ.

Interesting! I know a lot of people have been thinking that Tower Bridge and GBHQ are due for retirement, surprised that the Fishing Store would be retired so soon, seeing as it was released in 2017. I guess that's Ideas for you.

1 hour ago, Bricked1980 said:

I wonder if they will retire both BB and DO. Problem is this would only leave 3 modulars currently for sale (assuming we will get a new one in January).

Perhaps they are trying to clear out 2 of the old modulars to make way for 2 brand new ones coming in 2019? Maybe as well as the new January set, later next year we will get the long rumored re-release of CC or GG as well. 

Would be surprised if BB does in fact retire, seeing as its only finishing its 3rd year, and seems to still sell, although I do believe it isn't as popular compared to others.

[MAB]

5 hours ago, The_Nev said:

In the meantime, there's 5 modulars available at the moment, which I believe is the equal most that there is ever at one time. So its more than likely that at least one will retire this year, although it has happened before where two sets were retired at once (GE and TH). Which set(s) do we think are most likely to retire? Will it be the eldest, yet crowd favourite, PR? Or  one of the newer sets, DO at the end of its 4th year or BB at the young age of 3 years? Or even the mega-modular anniversary set AS?

My bet is on DO, it being shown on the "some retiring soon!" page is no coincidence in my eye. If there's two going, it will be DO and PR, 5 years is a long life for a modular... 

6

I imagine 2 out of the 3 will go, with one replacement. We don't need five modulars at a time. I hope PR goes as it has been out a long time, but that said it probably sells better than DO and I'd prefer to see DO go. I'm easy about BB going or not.

2 hours ago, Bricked1980 said:

I wonder if they will retire both BB and DO. Problem is this would only leave 3 modulars currently for sale (assuming we will get a new one in January).

Perhaps they are trying to clear out 2 of the old modulars to make way for 2 brand new ones coming in 2019? Maybe as well as the new January set, later next year we will get the long rumored re-release of CC or GG as well. 

3

There will be four for sale if we get another one in January.

Has there ever been a realistic rumour rather than a wants list about re-releases of CC and GG. I thought Jamie Berard was fairly clear about there being no intention to re-release the old ones, and I hope it stays that way. Give us new ones, not old ones!

 

[Aanchir]

Great interview with Jamie Berard in the latest Hispabrick issue: https://www.hispabrickmagazine.com/content/download/6578/

It's about the Creator Expert line as a whole, but goes into a lot of details that pertain to the design considerations for the modular buildings:

• The reason behind the Creator Expert name is that previously, sites were using various colloquial names for the non-branded exclusives that made it harder for fans and buyers to find info or listings for them online (if any of y'all have forgotten, even here on Brickset, the modular buildings were long considered a part of the otherwise defunct Town theme, and separate from other types of AFOL-targeted exclusives that had the same branding). Internally, the Creator design team was the one with the most overlap with people working on those exclusives.
• One challenge for the designers of the modular buildings is to always bring something new and surprising — even if they go with an obvious and highly anticipated subject (town hall, bank, restaurant, etc), they have to make sure it has enough unique features and strengths that people won't just negatively compare it to fan-created buildings of the same subject.
• The designers definitely feel inspired by the fan community but try to avoid using techniques they've seen in MOCs unless they can bring some unique spin on it so that it still feels like their own creation and not just a combination of ideas pilfered from other builders.
• Early on, the next three to five buildings in the series were mapped out pretty strictly, though the order was sometimes re-arranged. But more recently they've moved towards planning 3 buildings simultaneously, picking the best of them to go forward with, and sometimes integrating ideas from the other building ideas or from "building boosts" where the designers try to generate as many ideas as they can without the same strict concerns as if they were working on bringing one particular set to completion (I believe LEGO brought designers from different teams together for similar brainstorm sessions when working on series like the BrickHeadz and Mixels).
• Jamie has learned to try and filter through criticism to understand what parts are just knee-jerk reactions when stuff defies expectations and what parts are going to be real lasting concerns for the series as a whole. He specifically brings up the Fire Brigade, which AFOL communities lambasted for breaking from patterns they'd identified or imagined in previous modular buildings, yet became the set that brought the most new fans into the modular buildings series after tempers cooled off. To Jamie, negative feedback is still a good thing, because it means people are attentive to and emotionally invested in the new product, whereas the absence of feedback is much worse because it means people just don't care or aren't paying attention one way or the other.

[wooster]

20 hours ago, Aanchir said:

Great interview with Jamie Berard in the latest Hispabrick issue:

Thanks for pointing this out.  I found an even older interview with Jamie as I was looking for this one.  Tons of great insight into the machinations of Lego design whenever he is interviewed.  But I noticed something interesting.  Just a sliver of a clue that we might be getting a police station in the modular line soon.  Look at the following text quoted from Jamie:

JB:  "There are so many people who have made fire stations and police stations and banks that when we do a bank or a fire house there are already fifteen others where people say “I like this guy’s better” so we found that we really need to keep our game high, trying to surprise you guys.  Even if it is not a new idea to do a bank, if we do one we want to surprise you with some fun and interesting ways of using the elements or maybe attaching a laundromat next to it which is something that I hope hadn’t been seen before. That’s where I think it puts a little more pressure on us to think of something fresh."

This is just an excerpt from a larger quote.  But it's almost as though he accidentally included 'police station' with fire station and bank.  Is this a clue?  Is Police Station next?

[Bricked1980]

38 minutes ago, wooster said:

"There are so many people who have made fire stations and police stations and banks that when we do a bank or a fire house there are already fifteen others where people say “I like this guy’s better” so we found that we really need to keep our game high, trying to surprise you guys.

Interesting! I read that bit too but didn't think anything of it until you pointed it out! I think he is just using "Police Station" as an example of all the different ideas and themes that people come up with for their own designs, but who knows.

One things for sure... assuming the new modular will be out in January then we will find out what it is within a maximum of 2 weeks from now. By then the January store calendars will start to appear online and if the modular is out in January then it will be featured in the calendar. Cannot wait to find out what it's gonna be. 

[Wesley D]

My wild bet was a police station too, based on some very vague clues: another government building is welkome in the modular line, Detective's Office shares the police theme and seems to be discontinued soon and there was a post with the rumour the theme of the next modular exists frequently in LEGO history.

It would be nice to have some official hints sooner, but I guess we will be sure within 2 weeks!

[Agent 86]

I'd be happy with a police station. But, IF it's a police station, I'd be hoping for a stand-alone building. As opposed to a police station next to a doughnut store!

Have there been any solid / reliable rumours to date? The ones that I can recall which I'm not sure were completely debunked were - possibly "sand red" colour, possibly something that would be at home in the Lego City line (i.e. police station or hospital) and I think I saw something about it coming on two 16 wide baseplates, which suggests a split build similar to Pet Shop / Townhouse (although that may just be wishful thinking from those who want to complete the city block given the extra width of Assembly Square).

[scottwb2010]

37 minutes ago, Agent 86 said:

I'd be happy with a police station. But, IF it's a police station, I'd be hoping for a stand-alone building. As opposed to a police station next to a doughnut store!

They could always do something similar like when they released the DO in January 2015 and there was a free with qualifying purchase of the flower cart, but this time having a dohnut stand if it is a Police Stn! 

[Fenghuang0296]

So, does anyone think that the era of interestingly coloured baseplates in Modulars is over?

In PC, PR and DO we had red, light bley and brown baseplates. But the most recent three have been standard, boring, tan and green. 

Are we likely to see a return of interesting colours?

[Bricked1980]

It's now confirmed that Brick Bank and Detectives Office are definitely both retiring. On the UK version of the LEGO store they have both had their status updated to "Retiring Soon".

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Modular-Buildings?icmp=HP-SHT-OP-CE-creato-520

Edited November 16, 2018 by Bricked1980

[just_one]

Just now, Bricked1980 said:

It's now confirmed that Brick Bank and Detectives Office are definitely both retiring. On the UK version of the LEGO store they have both had their status updated to "Retiring Soon".

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Modular-Buildings?icmp=HP-SHT-OP-CE-creato-520

[Eaglefan344]

At least we can finally put to rest the theory that the modulars retire in order.

Also, Parisian Restaurant and Detective's office are more expensive than the Diner and Brick Bank in the UK. It's the opposite in the US.

[Brickclutch]

Gonna order Brick Bank tonight when double VIP starts, have £55 worth of Vip vouchers anyway 

[CopperTablet]

I'm guessing it will be a light or dark bley hotel in the Streamline Modern style. Mike Psiaki said in the DD video that he wanted to build a hotel.

Also, we knew they don't retire in order, they retire in terms of popularity.   Town Hall retired before Pet Shop.

[koalayummies]

4 hours ago, Eaglefan344 said:

At least we can finally put to rest the theory that the modulars retire in order.

Town Hall busted that theory. Edit: doh, CopperTablet stated the same.

Edited November 16, 2018 by koalayummies

[Eaglefan344]

13 minutes ago, koalayummies said:

Town Hall busted that theory. Edit: doh, CopperTablet stated the same.

Yeah, even with that people still insist they'll retire in order though.

[AFOLguy1970]

I guess we still have nothing regarding the 2019 modular.  If this is a January 1 release similar to the last several, then we should be getting something soon.  They have to print the January catalogues and the January online calendar will be available in the coming weeks.  It was about this time last year, we found out about DD, so any day now.